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Girardi ranks fifth in wins among active NCAA coaches and second-place among active NCAA Division III coaches. He led Lycoming to 13 Middle Atlantic Conference championships and 11 appearances in the NCAA playoffs, including trips to the Stagg Bowlâthe NCAA Division III national championship gameâin 1990 and 1997. In all, the Warriors have tallied a winning record in 29 of Girardi's 36 seasons.

Perhaps Girardi's finest coaching moment came in the final game of the 2005 season when he became only the 17th coach in NCAA history to reach the milestone of 250 victories. The 17-10 overtime victory against longtime rival Susquehanna University capped an exciting campaign in which the Warriors rallied from a 1-4 start to finish with a five-game winning streak and a 6-4 record.

"Coach G, as most of his players call him, is a legendary figure," said Lycoming President Dr. James E. Douthat. "He has etched a nationally-respected, winning tradition in the town where he was raised. In the world of NCAA Division III football, the name Frank Girardi is synonymous with class and success, both on and off of the football field."

Girardi is a member of the West Branch Valley Hall of Fame, the Pennsylvania State Sports Hall of Fame and West Chester University's
W. Glenn Killinger Football Hall of Fame. The Middle Atlantic Conference has honored Girardi as its Coach of the Year on 12 occasions. In 1999, he became the Robert W. Maxwell Football Club's first recipient of their Tri-State Coach of the Year Award, which is presented to an outstanding college or high school coach from Pennsylvania, New Jersey or Delaware.

Girardi began his football career in high school when he carried the ball as a running back for the Williamsport Millionaires. He continued
to play at the collegiate level at West Chester University.

Girardi entered the coaching ranks in 1961 when he became an assistant coach at Jersey Shore (Pa.) High School. He became head coach of the team in 1963 and remained in that position for six years.

In 1969, Girardi became an assistant at Lycoming under Budd Whitehill. Three years later, he took over the reigns as head coach of a Warrior program that had gone 14-34 since its last winning season in 1965. During Girardi's first three seasons, Lycoming went 2-6, 2-6 and 3-6. In his fourth season, the Warriors recorded a mark of 6-2 and went on to have 29 consecutive winning campaigns.

In 1984, Girardi accepted an expanded role as Lycoming's director of athletics, overseeing Lycoming's 17 intercollegiate athletic programs.

Girardi resides in Williamsport with his wife Lynne. Their four children â Cathy, Jerry, Frank, Jr. and Justine â have all graduated from Lycoming College.

The guard position is particularly rife with talent. Junior Anthony Watson (Philadelphia, PA) garnered tremendous minutes at point guard last season and looks to lead the Warriors again in 2007-2008. Watson led the Warriors with 86 assists, appearing in all 25 games last year. He averaged over 27 minutes per contest and really raised his game when he got comfortable taking the ball to the hole.

Head coach Don Friday appreciates Watson because âheâs excellent in the classroom, the locker room and on the court. Heâs one of the more popular players in our program.â 

Senior David Wilson (Pottsville, PA) wants to finish his Lycoming career in style. Wilson works hard in the offseason to maintain his physical edge and his 92-percent free throw average. He scored 11.9 points in 30-plus minutes per game last season while serving as a co-captain.             

Junior Jemayne Nowlin (Gaithersburg, MD) brings the spark that is speed to the Warriors. Nowlin averaged 10.3 points per game and sank 37 three-pointers in 2007-2008. His quick hands also led to 30 steals on the season. Coach Friday brings Nowlin into the game knowing he can count on him to make plays night after night.

Senior swingman Kevin Morris (Camp Hill, PA) combines good inside height with true perimeter talent. He dropped a team-high 59 threes in the bucket last season, while averaging 12.9 points per game. His team-leading 322 points owed largely to a 38-percent success rate from behind the arc, as well as an 82-percent free throw average. Look for Morris to be a consistent offensive threat in 2007-2008, as well as a candidate for academic all-american.

More of a true forward, junior Greg Sye (Chantilly, VA) is anxious to rise with the cream again in the 2007-2008 Commonwealth Conference. Sye, the 2006 Freedom Conference Rookie of the Year, missed a few games last year with an injury, but still managed to compile 314 points. His team-leading 13.7 points per contest is a testimony to his ability to take over a game. Sye possesses an impressive first step to the basket, bringing big points as well as rebounds at both ends of the court.

âGreg is one of our frontline players,â says Friday. âHis size creates match-up difficulties for opponents and we look for him to bring a high level of intensity and concentration night in and night out.â

Another big, physical athlete that the Warriors possess is sophomore Rickey Varnell (Patterson, NY).  Varnell came on strong as a freshman, making an immediate contribution in the paint. Appearing in 22 games last year, he averaged 4.8 rebounds and 6.7 points per game. Of his 105 total rebounds, 49 were offensive, good for second on the team. His physicality and toughness inside will be vital to the Warriors in 2007-2008.

âRicky is a mobile big man, capable of special things in a Lycoming uniform,â remarks Friday.

Likewise, sophomores James Oberlies (Philadelphia, PA) and Billy Goodell (Williamsport, PA) have earned Fridayâs praise with their hard work and development. Both should prove to be key ingredients in the mix this year. Last season, Oberlies saw action in 23 of the Warriors 25 games and brings a winning mentality and energy to the court. Goodell appeared in 18 games as a freshman and wbulked up in the offseason for a more physical style in 2007-2008.

Fellow sophomore Jim Sauls (Perkiomenville, PA) stands at 6â8â and should contribute in the low post for the Warriors this year. Meanwhile, junior Brandon Wilkinson (Piscataway, NJ) represents a long-distance threat off the bench. His ability to stretch the zone can be devastating.             

This brings us to the bumper crop of new faces on Lycomingâs roster, including sophomore Eric Anthony (Wheeling, WV). Entering his first season as a Warrior, Anthony brings remarkable athleticism and talent at guard. The former Wheeling Central Catholic star led his high school to four, yes four, state championship games.             

Freshman Sebastian Sabella (Bayside, NY) could also make a name for himself early in his Lycoming career.  At 6â3â, Sabella combines size and athleticism and will compete for minutes with Fridayâs large pool of guards. This past summer Sabella received the Frank Scott Award from The Boyâs Club of New York, for his excellence in the classroom and on the court.             

Local standout Will Kelly (Williamsport, PA) brings a complete style of play to his hometown college. He has been a cornerstone of success for the Loyalsock Township High School program, and he has impressed Lycomingâs coaches already with his focus and hard work.             

Coming from one of the premier basketball conferences in the country, Aaron DeVane (Upper Marlboro, MD) brings winning experience with him to Lycoming. A combination guard, he will make strides throughout the course of the season and push for playing time early for the Warriors.             

First-year forward Josh Artis (Upper Marlboro, MD) has great instincts as a face-up, athletic four-man.  His size will make him a valuable resource in the rebounding department as he plays very aggressively in the paint.             

"In order to cut down nets in March, this team must learn to win on the road,â states Friday.

The 2006-2007 Warriors posted a 10-3 record in Lamade Gymnasium, but went 2-8 on the road. With a year of experience and an infusion of talented youth, Lycoming is looking to make the jump to becoming an elite team in the Commonwealth Conference and beyond.

During Ditzler's reign, the Lady Warriors have been a frequent qualifier for the conference tournament. Lycoming has reached the post-season in six of her 14 seasons and has advanced to the NCAA Division III tournament once.

Ditzler led her 1996-97 team to a 17-10 record and a runner-up finish in the MAC Freedom League. For her efforts, Ditzler was named both the MAC Freedom League and Columbus Multimedia's Middle Atlantic Region coach of the year.

The Annville, Pa., native's first three seasons also saw great success. In the 1995-96 season, Ditzler led Lycoming to a 16-9 overall record and a runner-up finish in the MAC Freedom League.  The 1994-95 campaign was equally impressive with the Warriors winning 17 games and reaching the semifinals of the conference tournament. Ditzler's '93-94 team posted a 14-9 record.

A graduate of Franklin and Marshall College, Ditzler began her coaching career in 1989 as a graduate assistant at West Chester University. In 1991, she was an assistant coach at Millersville.  She came to Lycoming in the 1992-93 season as an assistant under then coach Jim Orr.

Ditzler also serves as the head softball coach at Lycoming and has led the Warriors to the conference tournament in ten of her 14 seasons.

Margetich started every game for the Warriors this season, finishing with 36 receptions for 424 yards. He led Lycoming with six touchdown catches and a 42.4 yards per game average. Combining size and speed, Margetich was able to run past linebackers and run over safeties, while his sure hands made him a favorite pass target.

Yaple finished the regular season leading the conference with 14 quarterback sacks. He is also ranked second in the nation in that category. Before the 2007 season, Yaple was tabbed Iron Warrior of the Year for the second consecutive time. The honor follows a competition between teammates to single out Lycoming footballâs âbest all-around athlete.â

Two Warriors made second team All-MAC on offense. Freshman running back Josh Kleinfelter (Bellwood, PA/Bellwood-Antis) and junior tackle Pat Taylor (Philadelphia, PA/Father Judge) worked together to help Lycomingâs 2007 offense.

Taylor was in charge of opening holes for Kleinfelter, who gained a team-high 583 yards on the ground in his first year. Kleinfelter also caught 27 passes for 151 yards and totaled three touchdowns on the year.

On second team defense, senior middle linebacker Mike DiPlacido (Perkasie, PA/Penn Ridge), senior cornerback Vreeland Wood (Hamburg, PA/Hamburg) and sophomore defensive lineman Ted Geurds (Douglassville, PA/Daniel Boone) were chosen.

DiPlacido possesses an incredible nose for the ball. He led the Warriors in tackles with 85 on the year, while his eight sacks placed him third in the conference. His motor never stopped and his desire anchored Lycomingâs defense throughout the season.

Wood was the only returning player in this yearâs defensive backfield. His leadership was crucial, and his three interceptions tied for the team lead. Wood grabbed two of his picks in one game on November 3 against Kingâs.

Geurds is one of Lycomingâs strongest players and used that skill to his advantage in 2007. He successfully plugged up the middle against the run and regularly harassed opposing quarterbacks, finishing 2007 with 55 tackles, five sacks and a fumble.

I am talking about a combination of  the playing field, the press box and the areas surrounding this place of play.

It should be noted that (I believe) Lebanon Valley College is the youngest football program to join the Middle Atlantic Conference. The College first appeared on the Lycoming schedule in 1985 and I remember driving into the college campus throyugh nothing but fields of high grass and surrounding trees. The field (Shields Field) suddenly popped up. It just sat there amidst all of the beautiful country side. Home stands to one side. The playing field itself and some visiting bleachers on the other side and then nothing but undeveloped acres beyond.

There was this box on stilts sitting up behind the home bleachers. It was, as we broadcasters and sports information people would call it, the press box. The facility from which all kinds of information would flow over the afternoon of the two teams playing NCAA Division 3 college football. That box, like so many others of that time, had been built to accomodate just a handful of people with just a handful of equipment. There were windows in the front that were to give view to the playing field. There was this long table where the press would be seated. One of the spaces was given to the PA announcer and underneath the long table were places you could plug into electric boxes and also underneath, fortunately, was a phone line to be used by a visiting radio station.

In 1985 Lycoming College radio (WRLC) was on a mission created and designed by Bruce Mooney. Bruce, a Lycoming tennis player seeking a marketing degree, had pestered the late Dean Jack Buckle into allowing WRLC to follow the Warrior football team home and away. The station did not have much of a coverage area but Bruce had secured donated funds that gave  voice to what Frank Girardi's ball club was doing in the conference. Me? I was listed somewhere by somebody as a consultant to the college sports radio so I was along whenever and wherever Bruce was going.
    
Lebanon Valley was the last game of what had been a great ten game season.  Players like Larry Barretta and James O'Malley had led Lycoming to a perfect 9-0 record and it was a sure bet that the Flying Dutchmen would be Number ten. It was, as it always seems to be at Lebanon Valley, chilly, overcast and Novemberish. Lycoming, setting numerous football records to end that regular season, won by a 59-0 score. Bruce and I, standing in the far left corner peering out a frosted over window, did the best we could to cover a game we could barely see. 10-0 and the next day the NCAA called Girardi to inform him his team would be making their first of what would be eleven NCAA D-3 post season appearances.

Year after year the Flying Dutchmen  have made their place on the Warrior schedule.  Same field but the changes started to show. The College was coming "across the creek and the rail  racks". New buildings, more athletic facilities and a renovated press box.  Well, let's not get too carried away about the word renovate.

The College built a new steel seating stadium and left the press box up there. I think the "new" box  maybe had an extra window or so. It still had a second level with maybe some extra seats but still with limited view.

There was that one game there when this big, sort of slow thinking lefthander decided that we broadcasters should work outside on the back bleacher row. It was still the WRLC station so I conned Tom Speicher out with me as Scott Lowery and Jay Tannebaum stayed inside. It poured, it turned bone chilling cold as Tom and I did the play by play while accepting anything hot those other guys could get to us.

On the field Lycoming was able to use Lebanon Valley every year as one more win over the many years. They were fourth on the schedule in 1989 when the Warriors made their second D-3 post season tounrey and played tough in losing 17-0 in 1990 whe Lycoming played to the D-3 national championship game.

Year by year. Here or there and the scores reflect where the games were played because the Flying Dutchmmen either play better on their home field or the Warriors have a mental thing that playing there is bad kharma yet it was there that the Warriors presented Girardi with his 200th win and it was at David Persun Field in 2006 when Lebabon Valley, trailing in the series 21-0, edged the Warriors 15-9 to break through.

This past weekend, at Lebanon Valley, Frank Girardi was really hoping his "kids" could close the season with a win. Ken Sawyer and I were there to broadcast with the same hope.  This very young Lycoming team had all of us  excited but on this day they did not do the job. We came away unhappy but I am chalking it up the LVC Mystique created in some fashion by that "Box".

WATCHA DOIN FRIDAY? - The high school post season play started yesterday (Tuesday0 as Montoursville and Villa Joseph Marie played some soccer for the 2 A Eastern Regional Championship.

Friday is a large football night. Class AA 3 Montoursville at 2 Loyalsock Twp, 3 Athens at 1 Towanda. Both games kickoff at 7.  Class AAA 2 Jersey Shore at 1 Selinsgrove (7 p.m.). Class A Eastern Conference - 4 South Williamsport at 2 Muncy for the EC championship. (7 p.m.)

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Lebanon Valley threw a 38-yard completion on its first play from scrimmage, setting up a 14-yard touchdown run by Charlie Parker in the game's first four minutes. Parker scored four touchdowns on the day, tying a school record. All three scores were followed by Brittany Ryan extra point conversions.

Lycoming freshman Josh Dixon (Fleetville, PA) returned the ensuing kickoff 58 yards, but a personal foul call brought cut fifteen yards off of the run. Nonetheless, freshman quarterback Tim Hook (Harrisburg, PA) hit fellow frosh Ryan Wagaman (Aspers, PA) on a 20-yard completion and the Warriors appeared to be rolling.

However, from the Flying Dutchmen 15 yard line, Hook was intercepted in the end zone by Tim Ridewood, ending the Lycoming threat. Hook was 10 of 22 on the day, but threw three costly interceptions in the first half.

Lycoming went three and out on its next possession and a 19-yard punt by sophomore Brad Shellenberger (Lock Haven, PA) gave LVC the ball in Warrior territory. But the blue and gold defense was stout, as it has been all year, and a tackle-for-loss by senior defensive end Ryan Yaple (Stillwater, PA) set up a third and long for the Dutchmen. Leb Val faked the punt, but Adam Brossman's pass fluttered incomplete and Lycoming took over the ball at its own 40.

Warrior running back Mark Rosa (Honesdale, PA) put together runs of nine and 14 yards, breaking tackles along the way. But an intentional grounding by Hook, 23 yards behind the line of scrimmage, resulted in a second down and 38 and ultimately another punt just before the end of the first quarter.

Yaple recorded his 14th sack of the year to get the ball back in Lycoming's hands. Yaple came into the game ranked first the Middle Atlantic Conference and second in the nation in quarterback sacks. He is sixth on the team in tackles, mainly because offenses try to avoid him.

Unfortunately, the Warriors couldn't get it started in the second period, as Hook's first pass skipped off the hands of Jimmie Stevenson (Pipersville, PA) and into the arms of Russell DeStefano, who thieved Hook twice on the afternoon.

A facemask call on return set up Leb Val at Lycoming's 19 yard line. A short burst by LVC's Parker made the score 14-0 with 11 minutes left in the half.

On the warriors ensuing possession, Rosa gained 10 yards on a draw but fumbled. Luckily Wagaman fell on the ball, preserving a beautiful 41-yard touchdown completion to senior tight end Bill Margetich (Glenolden, PA). Margetich caught the ball in the middle third and put a sweet move on the safety to waltz into the end zone. A Scott Erickson (New Providence, NJ) extra point put the Warriors within seven points.

However, Parker answered on LVCs next possession, exploding on a 40-yard tackle-breaking touchdown scamper that set the score at 21-7 at halftime. The Dutchmen attempted a field goal just before the break, but it was tipped by Wagaman and fell unsuccessfully.

Despite the lopsided score, total offense and time of possession was nearly even for both teams at the half. But turnovers spelled the difference with the Warriors totaling four mishaps in the first two periods.

Leb Val received to start the second half, but the drive stalled. Unfortunately, a Hook completion on Lycoming's next possession was fumbled by senior Ryan Dixon (Dalton, PA), setting up a Dutchmen drive which culminated with Parker in the end zone again.

Warrior running back Josh Kleinfelter (Bellwood, PA) took matters into his own hands on the next possession. The freshman ran the ball nine times, getting as far as Lebanon Valley's four yard line. The third quarter ended with Lyco threatening, but a fourth down pass into traffic fell incomplete and the Dutchmen took over on downs.

Kleinfelter gained 116 yards on the day, while Rosa racked up 49. The Warriors totaled 197 rushing yards, but suffered futility through the air. Sophomore Colin Dwyer (Dalton, PA) took over at quarterback in the fourth quarter and immediately executed a 46-yard drive that saw Margetich catch his second touchdown reception.

With the score 28-14 and 8:31 still on the clock, Lycoming had to act fast. But the Warriors run-oriented offense, could not ride the momentum to another score. At 3:17, Dwyer took Lyco near midfield from deep in its own territory, but the Warriors turned the ball over on downs and their season ended.

It was a disappointing finale for the seniors, but hope springs eternal for the many first and second year players who gained experience in 2007. Lycoming's coaching staff is given the challenge of righting the ship this offseason and filling the holes left by graduation. Stay tuned.

The team enjoyed a private tour of the Capitol by Holden and learned first hand about the countryâs legislative body. The Warriors also visited the original Supreme Court chamber, where they toured the inside of the chamber, and sat in the observation gallery overlooking the current House of Representatives. Friday and his players finished their tour by taking in the sights of the rotunda.

âIt was very interesting,â said senior guard David Wilson (Pottsville, PA). âI had never been to the Capitol, and I appreciated the history, and the art and sculptures in each area.â

When asked about the scrimmage, Wilson thought Lycoming âplayed very well, especially defensively. We were smaller than American, but maybe in better shape. They got tired at the end.â

The Warriors took the first 20-minute period, which bodes well as the team looks forward to opening its season on Friday, November 16 with the Lycoming Tip-Off Tournament. Lycoming plays Penn State-Altoona at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, with the championship and consolation game scheduled for Saturday afternoon.

"Yes, I am very happy myself,  I actually have been working for about two and a half years for a spot like this." said the former Loyalsock Twp. baseball and basketball player. "We (brand new wife Bree and Pat) were j ust coming off our honeymoon when I was contacted by the organization who flew me to the Tampa (Florida) base of the Yankees where we talked things over.  I left there with word I would hear in a week or so but the word came much earlier. Yes, We are very happy."

Daneker pitched very well in high school  as well as with a traveling American Legion ball club. From those experiences he earned attraction from college coaches and pro scouts. When he graduated he and his family chose the University of Virginia for his next step. Daneker did his classes and played D-1 college ball for three years before the Chicago White Sox put him into pitching professional baseball for the next several years. That included a trip to the major leagues with the Pale Hose during the famed strike year in Major League baseball. The strike probably (key word) caused Daneker a real shot at playing big league baseball as the Sox, rather than have him idle, sent him back to the minors and never recalled him.

His final pitching seasons were with Newark (NJ) of the independent Atlantic League "where I started going in another direction. That is when I started to e-mail, phone call and holding conversations with everyone I knew in baseball that I felt could help me in getting a foot in the door in coaching or scouting.  I attended a scouting camp and had guys tell me they would keep me i mind. It was a case of my getting my name out there as much as I could."

He never forgot another mission. He was a year light in getting his college degree so he spent some off season time taking his senior year work and gained his diploma from Virginia. Daneker, a year ago, made a big decision. Work toward becoming a baseball scout or becoming a baseball coach. Helping in that choice was a pitching coach offer from the Calgary team of the independent Northern League.

Calgary had a good ball club. They ended up playing in the post season and came within a game of winning it all but the important item about all of that was the Daneker coaching reputation being built." As soon as I pulled on the uniform and went on the field I knew I was where I wanted to be in baseball. It is, at this time, better than going around sitting in the seats in a different ball park every night while looking at pitchers."

Staten Island plays in the Pickney Division of the NYPEN. Williamsport plays in the McNamara. The Crosscutters make one three game trip into Staten Island (Aug. 9-10-11) but the closest the Yankees come to this area will be at State College where, I assume, many family and friends of Pat Daneker will go to see his Yankee pitchers work.

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL HITS THE POST SEASON - The schedules are set for Friday and Saturday in high school football playoffs as the regular season survivors move on into the post season. Some say it is the most exciting time of the year in Pennsylvania high school football.

In 2A ball Towanda, Loyalsock and Montoursville drew first game home games Friday with Warrior Run heading for the undefeated Black Knights. Hughesville will be in Loyalsock Twp. and Montoursville has drawn Mt. Carmel. at Memorial Stadium in Montoursville. All games are 7 p.m. kickoffs.

On Saturday and in 3A ball Jersey Shore is home to Columbia Montour Vo Tech and Canton will come to Bloomsburg in a 1A ball game. Both games carry a 7 p.m. kickoff time.

South Williamsport is slated to meet Lourdes Regional in their first game of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

ADD THIS - Three great girls soccer team from the Valley, led by champion Montoursville, qualified for PIAA play where the 2006 Lady Mounties won it all.

On Tuesday of this week all three were sent on the road in first round games. Montoursville at East Juniata, Loyalsock at Bishop McCourt and South to Lakeland.

2007 MAC GOES TO WIDENER - Widener University won their 17th Middle Atlantic Conference football championship with a come from behind 28-24 win over favored Albright last Saturday. QB Matt Campbell hit Tim Kilhenney with an 18 yard TD pass with just :18 seconds left for the game winner. Albright had taken a 21-7 lead in the first period but could not hold it. Albright is 5-1 with Delaware Valley and the 2006 champion Wilkes at 4-2.  Lycoming, with its 24-6 win over Kings, is now 3-3 in the conference. Lebanon Valley is 2-4 followed by Kings and FDU-Florham at 0-6.

Frank Girardi and his team will finish out their year at Lebanon Valley this Saturday. The Warriors, after an 0-5 start, have won three of their last four. A Saturday win would allow the Warriors an above. 500 record in MAC play.

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WILLIAMSPORT, Pa.âLycomingâs football team (3-6, 3-3) defeated Kingâs College (0-9, 0-6) on Saturday, November 3 by a score of 24-6. It was the second straight win for the Warriors, who topped FDU-Florham last week 26-14. With the victory, head coach Frank Girardi tied Brigham Young coaching legend LaVell Edwards for 14th place on the NCAAâs all-time winningest coaches list.

Warrior wide receiver Brad Shellenberger (Lock Haven, PA) caught four passes for 97 yards and two touchdowns of 42 and 41 yards. The touchdowns both came in the first 20 minutes of the game and were followed by successful point-after attempts by junior Scott Erickson (New Providence, NJ). On Shellenbergerâs second scoring grab, he broke two tackles after the catch and sprinted 35 yards to the house early in the second period.

Warrior quarterback Tim Hook (Harrisburg, PA) then orchestrated an 84-yard drive which resulted in a third Lycoming touchdown just before halftime. Hook completed a 54-yard pass to Mark Ryan (Philadelphia, PA) on the drive. Hook then dove into the endzone from three yards out with 1:06 left on the clock. Another Erickson point-after kick put Lycoming up 21-0 at the break.

The Warrior defense shut down the Monarchs all day, holding Kingâs to 270 yards of total offense (Lycoming totaled 420 yards). Senior defensive end Ryan Yaple (Stillwater, PA) compiled five solo tackles on the day, including three tackles for loss. Yaple also recorded two of Lycomingâs four sacks and continually harassed Kingâs carousel of quarterbacks. Defensive tackle Ted Geurds (Douglassville, PA) and senior linebacker Dustin Hentzelman (Herndon, PA) led the Warriors with seven stops each.

In the defensive backfield, senior Vreeland Wood (Hamburg, PA) nabbed two interceptions in the second half, while Travis Leonarczyk and Nick Reese (both of Shenandoah, PA) each fell on a fumble for Lycoming.

At the beginning of the fourth quarter, Erickson split the uprights on an impressive 40-yard field goal to put the Warriors up by 24 points. With many second and third-string defensive players in the game, the Monarchs drove 50 yards for a touchdown in the gameâs final minutes. The extra point was no good and the contest ended with the score Lycoming 24 and Kingâs 6.

Warrior running back Josh Kleinfelter (Bellwood, PA) reclaimed his starting job after missing last week with injury. Kleinfelter nearly notched Lycomingâs second straight 100-yard rushing effort, settling for 94 yards on 21 carries. Last Saturdayâs star Mark Rosa (Honesdale, PA) gained 37 yards on 10 carries.

Hook was 13 of 25 for 255 yards through the air. He also compiled 38 yards on the ground and was not sacked. Senior tight end Bill Margetich (Glenolden, PA) had three receptions for 53 yards, trailing only Shellenberger for the Warriors.

Kingâs receiver Bob Cirko caught seven passes for 97 yards, while Rick Ritter had five grabs for 76 yards. The Monarchs used three quarterbacks on the day, who combined for 227 yards passing.

The Warriors celebrated Senior Day before the game. Eighteen seniors were announced prior to kickoff instead of the starting lineup.

Lycoming travels to Lebanon Valley next Saturday for a 1:00 p.m. showdown to close the season. The Warriors would love to end 2007 with a three-game winning streak.

Jim has a connection with Bill Byham as he did his student teaching in South Williamsport for Mr. Byham. 

Being a basketball referee has it challenages and maybe one of the most difficult is getting into shape for the long season of running after the fast breaks and fast paced games.  Jim does some jogging and walking to get ready for the season.  We also talked about some the interesting parts of basketball and they dynamic coaches and players over the years.

Lycoming goalkeeper Ryan Humphreys (Boonton Township, NJ) recorded two saves in the opening half, but was unable to get to Blue Jay Matt Dillerâs shot in the gameâs third minute. E-townâs Mike Helsel took a corner kick that was deflected by teammate Wes Bunting right to Diller who put a shot past Humphreys.

It was the first of two unconventional first-half goals for the Blue Jays. The second came seven minutes before halftime, when Wes Bunting apparently headed a ball past the goal line on a long throw in. The ball was thrown into play and seemed to miss all players, but the referee ruled that the ball skipped off of Buntingâs head. There was some argument from the Warriors, but the three officials all agreed it was a goal.

Despite the score, Lycoming was step-for-step with Elizabethtown throughout the half, splitting time in either end of the field. Midfielders Mike Coates (Washington, NJ) and Brian Haag (Mt. Laurel, NJ) played tough soccer against talented Blue opponents.

In the second half, the teams were again evenly matched. Warrior forward Chris Lorenzet (Forest Hill, MD) had six shots on the game (four on goal), but couldnât get the ball past E-town goalie Jeff Mullen. And, in the 79th minute, Blue Jay George Severini took a bobbled ball from teammate Brian Raveling in front of the net and made the score 3-0

In the gameâs final minutes, head coach Scott Kennell celebrated his five seniors by either putting them in or bringing them to the sideline to cheers from the home crowd. Humphreys, along with defenders Zach Tanner and Rob Bailey, and midfielders Jordan Shettle and Joe Thomas played in their final game as Lycoming Warriors.

Lycoming finishes its first year in the highly-competitive Commonwealth Conference with an impressive 13-5-1 record. For the second straight season, the Warriors defeated a ranked Elizabethtown squad in the regular season. Unfortunately, they couldnât repeat the feat in the postseason. Players, coaches and fans are all looking forward to next seasonâs Commonwealth competition.

Rosa was only filling in for starter Josh Kleinfelter when he posted the Warriors first one hundred yard effort this season. When all was said and done on Saturday Rosa compiled 160 yards on the ground and two touchdowns in the 26-14 Warrior win. On the final possession alone he netted 75 yards as Lycoming drove to FDU's ten yard line before time ran out. On the drive, Rosa had bursts of 20 and 43 yards.

At the end of the day Rosa averaged five and a half yards per carry with a long of 43. He will be sure to find his place on the Warrior offense in the weeks to come.

The Warriors play at home this Saturday, November 3. They will face conference rivals King's College. The game will begin at 1:00 p.m. at David Person Field.

In both Commonwealth Conference games, Dana, a junior sweeper, impressed with her focused defense and athleticism. She made numerous sliding stops in the box against Messiah, keeping Lycoming in the game against the country's second ranked team. Dana also kept the score close versus Lebanon Valley with trademark intensity. Throughout the year, Dana has been stalwart for the Lady Warriors, almost always staying on the field for the game's full 90 minutes.

Getting the Jennie Finch camp to head east to Williamsport was, as I was told, a combination of Lazorkas. Jeremy Lazorka hangs out in Arizona, has been one of those in the right spot at the right time as he got into the softball mix which included some relationship with what Finch was putting together out west. Jeremy tells dad, Dan Lazorka, head softball coach at Jersey Shore, and the push for the camp to come east was on.  Finch wanted her "thing" to be exposed in the east and so it was.  It turned out to be, by the numbers, the largest ever Jennie Finch camp with participants from 15 states coming to learn from the Olympic pitching great and her team of "major league" softballers.

The camp  was slated for the three field softball complex at Elm Park with a backup at the Generation Dome. Saturday morning, with hard rain on hand, hundreds of the campers converged on Elm Park but soon were sent on their way down to the Dome for the first of the two day softball experience.

And there is a major part of the story of this major event. The camp, early Saturday and because of the schedule, had to be rescheduled. There are not many indoor places around that could hold a camp of 400 players plus coaches but this area has the Generation Dome and the camp, after the rain hiccup, moved indoors for all day Saturday.

The Dome was used Saturday night for a first ever dinner with well over 300 persons attending. It was quite an event as the Jennie Finch staff plus the Bloomsburg University softball team broke bread with Moms, Dads and a lot of the camp participants.

In talking with a couple of the softballers, I learned they had had a very full day  of softball instruction from the camp staff. "They really know their stuff. Many of the drills were similar to what our (high school) coaches are teaching but they do it a lot faster and with a lot of skill. The message was spoken and made clear. If we want to play the game at their level we must do these drills over and over and over."

This Jennie Finch camp was a healthy experience for all of the participants with many  locals  already  involved in what has become a hot bed of softball enthusiasm with high school, Little League and travel teams playing softball.  It was a sport, when first introduced to the high schools of Lycoming County,  that was played slow pitch style. It moved to fast pitch in the 1970's and Little League International added it to their lineup of ball that could take teams to the excitement of a world series. In the Little League World Series of 1975, played without any international baseball teams involved, one half of the tournament bracket was made up of softball teams playing in what was the first ever Little League softball world series.

A GOOD SOFTBALL STORY FROM PENN COLLEGE - I have known  this story since spring. Now is a great time to tell it. It deals with the Penn College softball team coached by Roger Harris whose ball club earned one of the five state championships celebrated by Wildcat teams over the 2006-07 sports year.

Harris opened the season with 17 players of which 13 were freshman. They also opened that season playing a double header versus Northampton County Community College which was making softball history at the time.

Northampton took two from Penn College but the Lady Wildcats won nine of their next ten in learning to play with each other.

That brought Penn College  to the second double dip meeting with Northampton who were playing undefeated and had forged a 93 game win streak. They made it 94 in besting Penn College in Game 1 but the locals broke Northampton in Game 2 that day in what was the first of another  nine of ten run that took them into the PSUAC state championship four team tourney.

They split  on Fridays first day and moved into the losers bracket. On Saturday,  Penn College put it together, ran off three consecutive wins to win the first ever softball state championship in Penn College history.

FINAL HOME DAY FOR WARRIOR FOOTBALL - I really think I could write a (small) book on the Lycoming football season. I would entitle it something like YOU CAN'T TELL BY THE NUMBERS  because those numbers (sort) of lie. In other words you had to see it to believe it.

This Saturday Lycoming (2-6, 2-3) will host King's College (0-8,05) in a 1 o'clock start in their last home game.

My bet is you really don't want to see the game if there is a better game on TV or close by but let me tell you this. My bet is you will want to see these same players play in '08 and '09 so you might want to acquaint your self with them this Saturday.

2008 HIGH SCHOOL SEASON GOES TO PLAY OFFS - This weekend the area high school teams will either move on or pack 'em up. The regular season closes out this weekend.

In 3 A District 4 the top four teams (out of 7) qualify. Selinsgrove is top seed with Jersey Shore with second place points. In 2 A eight teams can qualify and it appears now that undefeated Towanda, once beaten Montoursville and  Loyalsock Twp plus Athens (6-2) are in position to move on. Mt. Carmel (5-3), Mifflinburg (5-3), Wellsboro (5-3) and Warrior Run (4-4) fill out the eight team field.

In Class A where for teams can qualify Line Mt. (8-0), Southern Columbia (7-1), Bloomsburg (7-1) and Canton (7-1) are the point leaders at this time.

- THAT'S 30 -

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With starting running back Josh Kleinfelter (Bellwood, PA) out with turf toe, sophomore Mark Rosa (Honesdale, PA) took overâ and how. Rosa recorded Lycomingâs first one hundred-yard effort of the season, compiling 160 yards on the ground with two touchdowns. Rosa gained 75 net yards on the Warriors final possession, running six times, including bursts of 43 and 20 yards.

Lycoming scored touchdowns on its first two possessions, driving 42 yards and 55 yards respectively. Sophomore wideout Brad Shellenberger (Lock Haven, PA) caught a 16-yard touchdown pass from freshman quarterback Tim Hook (Harrisburg, PA) to start the scoring, then senior tight end Bill Margetich (Glenolden, PA) took a 13-yard scoring strike from Hook on Lycomingâs next drive. The extra point attempt and then a two point conversion try both failed keeping the difference 12-0.

Both squads battled back and forth for the remainder of the half. The Warriors had the ball four more times. Perhaps remembering last weekâs punting woes, Lycoming went for it on fourth down four times in the first half, converting once on each touchdown drive. Then, after failing twice, Warrior punter Shellenberger did a good job with a pair of 25-yard kicks before the break.

The Warriors moved the ball near midfield to open the second half, but were forced to punt again. FDU-Florham then drove to the Lycoming 29-yard line before linebacker Chris Smith (Philadelphia, PA) intercepted a Bill Winters pass and returned it to the Lycoming 35.

However, the rush of momentum seemed to stall at the 49-yard line on a fourth down with eight yards to go. But Shellenberger took a fake punt around end for 30 yards, renewing the Warriorsâ spirit. After a series of runs and a 12-yard Margetich catch, Rosa punched it in from one yard out to make the score 18-0. Hook then connected with Shellenberger for the two point conversion and the Warriors were up by 20.

Less than two minutes into the final quarter, FDU running back Dan Harrison found the goal line, cutting Lycomingâs lead to 20-7. Five plays later, Hook was intercepted at the 48-yard line, setting up another FDU touchdown drive. This time, Winters found Rob Eck on a 15-yard paydirt pass.

A hint of worry traversed the Warrior faithful until freshman receiver Ryan Wagaman (Aspers, PA) took a handoff and ran 31 yards to FDUâs 23-yard line. From there it took Rosa three rushes to reach the house and Lycoming was up 26-14.

The Warrior defense held FDU on a fourth and four on the ensuing possession and then rode the Rosa train all the way to the Devil's 10-yard line, devouring the clock and preserving victory.

Shellenberger ended the day with five catches for 41 yards, while Margetich had four grabs for 42 yards. Hook was 16 of 29 for 147 yards. Middle linebacker Mike DiPlacido (Perkasie, PA) led Lycoming with nine tackles (five solo) and two sacks. The Warriors had 288 yards rushing on the afternoon.

Lycoming faces winless Kingâs College next Saturday, November 3 at David Person Field. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m.

GAME PHOTO LINK

Before arriving at Lycoming, Kennell began his collegiate coaching career as an assistant at North Carolina Wesleyan College in 1998. After one year at Wesleyan, he moved to Gettysburg College to be the assistant coach under Dave Wright. In 1999, the Bullets won the Centennial Conference championship, earning the top seed in the NCAA tournament and completing the year ranked ninth in the country.

Kennell graduated from North Carolina Wesleyan in 1998 with a bachelor of science degree. As an undergraduate, he was a four-year starter at midfield. During his playing days, Kennell was a two-time Umbro Regional All-American and All-Dixie Conference player. He also holds Wesleyan's all-time record for career goals and single-season marks for goals and total points.

Upon graduating from Wesleyan, Kennell was selected as the eighth overall college player to be taken in the 1998 Eastern Indoor Soccer League draft. After one season in Savannah, Ga., the Eastern Shore Sharks (affiliate of Major League Soccer's DC United) acquired Kennell. While with the Sharks, Kennell led the team in goals scored and was the team's captain. In addition to his experience as a player, Kennell has extensive training in coaching; including the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Premier "A" License. He is one of only four menâs coaches in the MAC to hold the Premier "A" License.

In 2008, Kennell will represent the United States as head coach of the USAAI national team sponsored by USA Athletes International. USAAI is a non-profit organization that facilitates amateur international competition. Kennellâs squad will play Barbadosâ national team in a three-game series in Barbados National Stadium, which holds 15,000 spectators. All three contests will be televised throughout Barbados. Earlier this year, the U.S. World Cup Team played the same Barbados squad and won 3-0.

Kennell currently resides in Montoursville with his wife, Anne, and their two children, Ryan and Allie.

It is a great question because there are those times when I am asking myself - Wonder what might come up I can write about this week? I ask that question of myself a couple of weeks back as I was on my way to the PASR state convention in Reading . At that point I had nothing, nada, zip and there was a tiny taste of panic as the deadline was getting close, very close.

So I'm on the road with retired persons I never dreamed could provide a Digest thought. Phil Thomas plays some golf but I can't think that his weekly play could make a full piece. I was just meeting Carol McMurray for the very first time and never knew until we were coming back some four days later she has a tennis coaching history at Muncy. The third person was Shirley Crawley and she, with great respect to her, would be the last person in the van who could contribute a sports story for me to work with.

Or so I thought.

I don't know what the conversation was that led to learning that Shirley Crawley of Hughesville had just finished a season of bocce ball while playing for the Merle Gooch team that had won the Hughesville division of the Dr. George Callenberger Bocce Ball League.

"Bocce ball?", I asked with some wonderment in my voice. "Bocce ball?"

"Yes. Bocce ball!", she shoots back at me. "Did you ever play the game?"

"Matter of fact I have played bocce ball. One time. Down on the beach in Jersey."

I could feel Shirley puff up behind me. I had struck  a nerve, "That was not official bocce ball. We play it by the rules on a regulation court. That makes a big difference than just rolling balls on the beach."

With that opening burst, Shirley delivered the gospel about the life of a passionate bocce ball player who, along with the many in her "neighborhood", who are also playing the game ("sport", says Shirley)

Turns out that the well known and respected Dr. Callenberger was spending some winter time down in Florida as one of the many million "sno birds"  on their annual pilgrimage to warmer air. These people do play a lot of games. Mainly golf followed by games of shuffleboard. Shuffleboard is so big that there are large leagues played in the many trailer courts where they play night games on macadam courts with bleachers for the onlookers. And, yes, they play bocce ball. The Italian bowling game for older folks.

Dr. Callenberger brought the sport north and to the small towns on the far edge of Lycoming County .  The current "hot" spots are in Hughesville and Picture Rocks. There are eight four player teams in Hughesville and the potential for the same number up Rt. 220 in Picture Rocks. The league starts, after a season opening luncheon to get organized,  in May and closes down in September. Games are scheduled for one time a week on prepared courts that are boxed and filled with hard packed dirt covered with a very fine gravel.

Ok, what is bocce ball? How is it played? Player 1 on Team 1 has a small, golf ball sized white ball called a "paollino". She rolls that toward the other end of the 40 foot court. Once that ball stops she then rolls her bocce ball in an attempt to come as close as possible to that little white ball. That starts a series of players "bowling" their  balls toward that white ball under the eyes of the referee who is also the official timer of the 25 minute game. Points are awarded to those players who can bring their ball closest to the target ball.

Sounds simple but there is a lot more to this "bowling" challenge. Shirley went over those rules for me twice and lost me both times which left her issuing me a challenge me to come down next summer and see how bocce is played so let me move on.

The season comes down to having the Hughesville champion team meeting the Picture Rocks champion for the overall Dr. George Callenberger League championship.

"The winning team receives the Dr. George Callenberger Trophy at the season ending luncheon. We (Merle Gooch) lost out to the Glen Derrick team from Picture Rocks in the playoff." said Shirley sadly.

Shirley made sure that I understood this is a sport story worthy of this <thats30.com >space.  "You always write about young people playing their games like football, baseball or some sport like that. We bocce people are community minded senior citizens who spend a lot of time as volunteers in the county but we remain interested in such things as having a good time with our peers. Bocce Ball provides a great outlet for us. We are competitive. Our games are high spirited and you best be ready to hear from the others playing in the game - either for you or against you. Players should also know we don't allow married couples to play on the same team. There is no age limit as we have people like Wilma Smith who is 92 and Florence Rider who is over 90 on team rosters. We have players, who once lived here in either Hughesville or Picture Rocks, still in our league although they now live somewhere else but come back here every week to play. We do all we can to win our games but take the losses in stride."

Sounds just like my other sports team doesn't it?

Would seem then the question is - Bocce anyone?

- That's 30 -

The Wildcats made it an unprecedented five in a row PSUAC State Championships in the eight years that Schuman has been the coach. In topping the seven team tournament, Penn College upped their five year win streak to 148-0.

"The kids play the game. I get them to the site and then go out on the course in watching them play . I am so proud of what they are accomplishing", said Schuman who knows he will be losing three of his top players due to graduation come May of 2008.

Shawn McQuay, Pete Nornhold and Matt Winder will leave the team next spring but players like Doug Wagner, Eric Schall and Dean Bell will form the nucleus of the 2008 Wildcat team.

"Shaun, Pete and Matt played outstanding golf this season and we will definitely miss their play. Shaun, the top finisher in the 2005 state tourney, was our Number one this year, We are already looking to find new players of high quality to become part of our 2008 team." said Schuman who happens to be the Director of Admissions for the College.

Penn College out shot teams from New Kensington, Mt. Alto, Fayette, Wilkes Barre and Lehigh over the two days by shooting a 305 on the first day and 314 on the final day.

"We felt going in that New Kensington would be our toughest competition. The kids got up on the field by eight strokes the first day and were able to add to that as we finished twelve strokes ahead at the end."

LYCOMING BREAKS INTO THE WIN COLUMN - Over my many years of being associated with Frank Girardi I have learned of  his intensity to be the the best coach possible for the kids who come to the Lycoming College campus with the idea of being a college football player.

He started every season telling his candidates that there was somebody in the position they wanted to play. That player would hold that position until they themselves chose to give it up.

I have watched that thought operate for a very long time. Over many years those who held the spot in the lineup refused to give it up. They started the season there and finished there at the end of the season.

In the early going, Girardi was like to so many coaches. He did not like to  use, let alone start, freshmen. He believed those first year players had a lot on their plates, often too much for them to add  a starting position in football.  In recent years that has changed but he still had preferred to keep his veteran players as his starters keeping their spots.

This 2007 season has just been a really different season with a different approach to the more than one hundred players who suited up for those first practices back in August. His program was coming off a 4-5-0 season in 2006. The Warriors were 5-5 in 2005 but had a very bad 3-7-0 2004.

His is talent pool had dried up and over the 2006-07 off season, Girardi again showed his intensity and led a recruiting season Lycoming had not seen for about three years.

It did not take long to recognize the intent of the Girardi coaching staff. If the veteran did not show up tough and ready to play, changes were going to be made as this rookie class had arrived on campus hungry and ready to play.

The changes began to show up. The "kids" were playing but the new Girardi approach did not prove successful until this past Saturday when the very young Warriors played it out to defeat favored Wilkes by a 19-17 score.

Was it easy? No sireee!  It took a humungus effort by the total defensive unit, a Girardi styled stern determination to make a weak running game produce some much needed possession time and a patience to embrace rather than condemn the effort these young people were putting forth.

It was only one win in a ten game season but I have to believe it meant a ton to Girardi and his staff because neither that staff nor those players have lost their direction through five very tough losing games.

HARRY PERRETTA'S MESSAGE - Last Friday evening the Lycoming sports family gathered to honor seven new names for the Lycoming Sports Hall of Fame. One of those names was that of Harry Perretta and he told a story you must hear.

For those of you who are not aware of Perretta he is about to enter his 30th year of coaching the Villanova University woman's basketball program. His record is 536-313 and take my word for it that his teams have produced some wonderful things for Villanova.

He came to Lycoming to play ball for Dutch Burch but a serious leg injury took college basketball away so he never did, in his four years at Lycoming, play even one game.

Burch, instead of forgetting Perretta, asked him to be a student coach. Later he asked him to serve as a JV coach and even later Burch asked Perretta to become his assistant as well as his JV coach.

Perretta graduated and went out to seek his professional life. He really wanted to coach basketball. The job at Villanova had been posted so he went after it. Three days after his first interview he was called to come back in. It was during that visit that Perretta was told he had the job. He was also told that one of the major reasons for choosing him was an unrequested letter from Dutch Burch letting the Villanova people know "they had a good thing in Perretta and should not let him get away."

THAT'S 30

That was an insulting shot at the football program but in many years it was close to the truth as the Mountaineer football seasons in the PSAC were often less than successful.

A year ago, after the 2006 0-10 season was over, the University announced that they were dropping football, mainly for economic reasons.  Players from the program had a decision. Stay at Mansfield to gain their degree or move to some other school where they could still play football. If those players wanted to play this year (2007) they would have had to transfer to a NCAA D-3 school. Otherwise they would have to sit out a year before they could once again compete at the NCAA D-2 level.

I would guess that many  of us have faced an issue that we knew a change was coming but when it did come it still stung. The dropping of Mountaineer football, a sport that had been a part of Mansfield for 115 years, stunned the university family as well as the community and all of the other schools of PSAC.

This past weekend was Homecoming at Mansfield. There were a ton of events staged but there was that major event missing. The Homecoming football game. Good or bad, the alums  came back to campus to be on hand for all of the excitement of the Homecoming football game. People of Mansfield looked for that time of the year. It was big. It was a place where the grads and current students could find each other. To exchange the stories of past Homecomings, to fill each other in since they last saw each other.

This 2007 Homecoming was different. The university and the community planned and staged several kinds of events, A parade, the Mountaineer band, other sporting teams played their game, the meals and reunions but no football.

That changed quickly as the very first event on the weekend program held early F Friday afternoon. Maravene Loeschke, Mansfield president, told a press conference being held at the Corey  Creek Golf Club " I am very pleased to announce that football will return to our campus in 2008."

Her announcement went on to explain that the new Mountaineer football will be in the 70 year old Collegiate Sprint Football League (CSFL) which  is currently comprised of Cornell University, the University of Pennsylvania, Princeton University, the United States Miliary Academy at West Point and the United States Naval Academy. By joining this league Mansfield will be the only public institution in the nation to offer sprint football.

Unlike the NCAA 2A Division football program there are two major differences. Spring football is played like regular football except sprint ball has a 172 pound weight limit. Older football fans might remember when that weight limit was just 150 pounds. When you consider that many college players, especially down linemen on offense or defense, are posting weights at or over 300 pounds which makes a sprint ball player quite small by comparison.

Another signifcant change is that Mansfield University football, in 2006, paid out $500 thousand dollars. The 2008 sprint ball projection is less than $155 thousand dollars .

One more difference has to be played here. As a member of the NCAA D-2 Mansfield could offer monetary help in the form of athletic scholarships to highly recruited football players. There will be no athletic scholarships in sprint ball. However, players will be eligible for academic or need based scholarships that are offered to the general student body.

It was announced that Tom Elsasser, the university's all-time winningest football coach will volunteer as the Director of Football Operations to help implement the sprint ball program. Mansfield expects to begin a nation wide search for a full time spring football coach in the next two weeks and have that person on staff by late November.

The other 13 intercollegiate athletic programs available for Mansfield students will remain as part of the PSAC and under the NCAA D-2 guidelines.

President Loeschke added that "sprint ball allows us to compete against some of the most prestigious universities in the nation while remaining affordable and complementing our core mission. It will provide a wonderful opportunity for many young men to continue their education while also pursuing their passion to play football."

"It means, " commented Steve Mc Closkey, Mansfield's sports information director, "we will have a football game next fall to go along with our Homecoming festivities. That will be good."

DR. JOHN HEAPS MEMORIALIZED - Mansfield University college baseball  legendary coach, Dr. John Heaps, was being remembered Saturday by "every person, whether they played for him or not, was invited to come back as part of our tribute to the man who impacted so many people, especially Mansfield students, with is caring attitude."

The plan was to play an alumni game which would become secondary to what John Heaps meant to the university and to the baseball program.

- THAT'S 30 -

The golf team finished its regular-season matches Tuesday with a victory at the Links at Spring Church in Apollo. The team shot a total of 314, which was 21 strokes better than the closest competitor: Penn State New Kensington. The score allowed the golf team to secure first place in the Western Division of the PSU Athletic Conference.

Five of Penn Collegeâs golfers finished in the top seven of all the competitors. The team was led by senior Shaun McQuay, of Watsontown, who was medalist with a 2-over-par 74. He was followed by junior Ryan Nornhold, of Enola, at 78; and sophomore Matt Winder, of Montgomery, who fired an 81 along with freshman Dean Bell, of Schwenksville. Freshman Eric Schall, of Jersey Shore, shot an 82; and junior Doug Wagner, of Huntington Mills, shot a 91.

Coach Chet Schuman noted it was great to see some of the players shoot low rounds at the end of the season, adding that Nornhold, Bell and Schall shot very well for being on the course for the first time.

"The course was a tight course with some blind shots into greens and you needed to place the ball real well in order to score," Schuman said. "It was a very warm day in the 90s and not knowing the course made it a real challenge for these young golfers ... and they rose to the challenge. PSU is a very competitive team and to go to their home course and have us play well is a real testimony to our golfers."

The team will finish the season when it travels to Penn State University for a two-day tournament (Oct. 10-11) at which the Wildcats will play against the remaining Penn State teams from the eastern division.

We wish Chet and his team continued success in October.

It turned out to be a great purchase, a great addition to our family and, now that the darn thing is in the 30 and up years of being here it was decided we had to get out and seek a replacement. It was a tough decision but when I could hit the On button and complete a couple of other chores before the picture arrived we felt that the day was close when the On button would not bring us anything to look at in the way of programming.

The short version of this is we purchased a new TV. It turned out to be my duty to clean off the old set and make it ready for departure in place of the new piece of wonderment coming in, a unit called a TV but a unit that will take this old head months to learn the rudiments of operation.

But all I could think of, as I looked at my old friend sitting there, was how great it served the entire family. Just think, in 30 plus years of being here, how the world has changed. Think oÆ the presidents it has shown us. Think of the cartoons and family shows that have come and gone. Think of the sport thrills, the championships and the players it has blazed across its screen. It had been its own "piece of wonderment" for all of this family. I never, until this happening of replacment, thought that I would feel a kinship to a TV set so I was more than happy to be out of the house on another mission when they came and took it.

CUTTERS CLOSE UP SHOP - The Williamsport Crosscutters, in their first year of association with the Philadelphia Philles, ended their 2007 season this past Friday when they lost to Batavia on the final night of play.

It may only be one man's opinion but from a seat high in the Family Section I came to a conclusion that the Cutters fielded several talented players but I never really felt I was watching a team play.

Oh, I know. When one of the players did something the rest  of the players came out of the dugout with high fives or knucke jobs but let me tell you that kind of thing is and was expected of the players. It made good theatre but the way the parent organization sent players in here there was very little time for all of them to be accepted as a real part of The Team. It should also be mentioned that the Phillies, in their relationship with their signed players, were most likely bringing players here with a promise of a quick move up.

So I lay some blame on the parent Phillies for makng us, the local fan,  the dumping ground while creating a ball club that fell out of contention about four or five weeks into the short season.

But I also Thank them for allowing us to see some kids who turned into being prospects we just might hear about later, maybe even to the big league level. These are the players who came in, were tutored by Greg Legg, Ken Dominquez and Bill Bliss while growing up as professional baseball players.

My personal favoite was Domonic Brown. I really loved the way he played his outfield position. How many other right fielders in Bowman Field history had the ability to chase a foul fly ball down by the batting cages and make the catch. He had a powerful throwing arm and showed he could learn because, early in the season, he simply threw the ball at home with little accuracy. Later he threw "strikes" and cut down potential runs being scored. Brown also grew a ton as a hitter and by the end of the season he was confident he could get base hits.

Drew Naylor was my choice for the Rankin Johnson pitching award and I am happy the "voters" agreed. I think fans accepted the fact that Tyler Mach could play the game. I have to apologize to Matt Spencer elimiating  my attiude that the Philles had made a mistake in signing him. Remember when he first arrived. He could not h it a lick and his fielding was suspect but before the season ended he was handed the plaque letting the world know he was the leading homer hitter (9) in a season that saw the Cutters hit over 40 home runs.

All in all the season was not as bad as the final stats showed and it is easy for me to say that the going to the Cutters is a g reat family outing. I just had a person tell me she had made her first visit to Bowman Field. "I could not  get over the entertainment. Baseball but also the between innings things plus the music and the crowd getting into the fun. It was great"

LYCOMING AT SUSQUEHANNA - Just enough space left to invite all of us to a football classic between two teams that have opened their new season with 0-2 records.

Lycoming and Susquehanna. A real old fashioned neighborhood meeting between two small college football programs that have played each other longer than many have lived. Frank Girardi versus  Steve Briggs.  Bragging rights on the Susquehanna River.

The Crusaders are no longer a MAC Conference member so the game won't count for league standing but one already knows that every player will give every ounce to win it. 1:30 P.M. Saturday in Selinsgrove.

- THAT'S 30 -

Williamsport - Harold Reynolds (ESPN's Sports Analyst) was the guest on Williamsport OnLine's podcast show Wednesday, August 24, 2005.  We were very fortunate to catch him between meetings and scheduled broadcasts. 

Harold Reynolds comes with some impressive credentials in his 12 years of Major League baseball experience.  He played 10 years with the Seattle Mariners winning three golden glove awards, playing in the 87&88 All Star Game and had a career .341 slugging percentage.

In 1991 Harold was presented with the Roberto Clemente Award (Commissioners Award) given each year by Major League Baseball.  It recognizes a player who best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual's contribution to his team.  And what company he is with:

Willie Mays
Willie Stargell
Lou Brock
Phil Niekro
Barry Maddox
Cal Ripken Jr.
Dave Winfield
Tony Gwynn
to name a few. 

On this podcast we talked about getting into baseball, playing other sports, being on the road, some awards and some things Harold feels blessed with.  Enjoy this podcast from Williamsport OnLine. 

Harold also talks about his baseball video "Harold Reynolds Presents Baseball" which can be found at his website http://haroldreynolds.com .  The video concentrates on the basics of the game of baseball with the best players in each of the skill areas.

Harold is also member of the Garth Brooks Foundation "Teammates 4 Kids" ( http://teammates4kids.com ) which exists to develop and implement innovative concepts that generate funds for the benefit of children's charities.

Finally, our thanks to Harold for spending time with us!

Please let us know what you think of our show whether good or bad. We want to make this podcast even better. If you have an event or subject you want us to discuss on our podcast, please send us your event at williamsport@gmail.com

Thanks for visiting us and please pass the word to everyone you know about this weekly podcast show.

Please tell a friend about "Best Podcasts From The Past."

This will be the 36th time Frank has been through this routine and if you think it is old hat, well, think again.  He is as fresh and as full of energy as we have ever seen him.  This year is will take a couple of weeks for Frank to settle in on his starting Quarterback.  In seasons past, the starting quarterback would be chosen a lot sooner.  The reasons are known, but this year there are more quarterbacks in the picture since Glenn Smith graduated last year.  Frank talks about his QB's and other topics in pre-seasion practice.